Watch Memory After Belsen

Memory After Belsen is a moving and poignant documentary that explores the struggle of survivors of the Holocaust, and how their memories and thoughts still resonate with them decades after the end of the war. Directed by Michael J. Conway, the film follows filmmaker Robyn Thaler Hickey during her journey to document the memories of Holocaust survivors and their descendants as they visit concentration camps in Germany and Poland.

The title 'Memory After Belsen' refers specifically to the camp of Bergen-Belsen, where thousands of victims were murdered by the Nazis during the Second World War. The film's central theme is the idea of remembrance: not only of the horrific events of the Holocaust but of the lives that were lost and the people who lived to tell their stories.

The documentary is framed around Thaler Hickey's conversations with survivors and their families, who all share a haunting sense of loss and tragedy. Their memories are vivid and painful, with many describing the feeling of being dehumanized and stripped of their identity during their time in the concentration camps.

At the heart of Memory After Belsen is the story of Tomi Reichental, a Holocaust survivor who was incarcerated in Bergen-Belsen at the young age of nine. Reichental's story is particularly powerful, as he returns to the camp for the first time since his liberation over seventy years ago. Thaler Hickey's interviews with Reichental are incredibly moving, as he recounts the horrors of the camp from the perspective of a child.

Throughout the film, Thaler Hickey documents the survivors' journeys as they return to the places that shaped their lives, a testament to their resilience and determination to never forget what they endured. The camera follows them as they visit the concentration camps where they were incarcerated, as well as sites of significant emotional and spiritual importance, such as the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

Aside from the survivors themselves, Memory After Belsen also features interviews with archivists and historians who work to preserve the memories of the Holocaust. They discuss the importance of keeping these stories alive, as well as the challenges they face in trying to capture the full breadth of the human experience during such a dark time in history.

The film's cinematography is stunning: the shots of concentration camps that have been maintained as historical sites, the train tracks that carried millions of Jews to their deaths, and the quiet cemeteries that now symbolize the lives lost. The use of archive footage provides a stark contrast to the present day, transporting the viewer back to a time when atrocities such as this were taking place on a daily basis.

One of the most striking features of Memory After Belsen is the intimacy with which Thaler Hickey approaches the survivors and their stories. The camera is often close to them, focusing on their faces as they share their memories and emotions. There are no re-enactments or dramatizations; instead, the survivors' words and experiences stand on their own, in a stark reminder of the reality of what they lived through.

One of the recurring themes in the film is the idea of "never forgetting," an ideal that clearly motivates many of the survivors to speak out about their experiences. They talk about the importance of educating younger generations about the Holocaust, not just about the facts and figures but about the human cost of such a tragedy. By sharing their own stories, the survivors hope to ensure that those who did not live through the Holocaust will recognize the importance of preserving its memory.

In conclusion, Memory After Belsen is a powerful and important documentary about the legacy of the Holocaust. It is not an easy film to watch, but it is a necessary one, as it forces us to confront the horrors of what happened and grapple with the complex emotions that come with remembering such a traumatic past. The film is a tribute to the strength and resilience of the human spirit, and a reminder of the importance of bearing witness to the past.

Memory After Belsen is a 2019 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 15 minutes.